Why do people have such faith in humanity?

[Esotera]

Why do you think you're faulty, out of interest? I share a lot of your views, but there are some elements of humanity that do redeem us. Compassion, ocassionally working together to long-term goals (repairing the ozone layer), and resilience are a few examples. The most important is that we are capable of learning; even if the bad outnumbers the good currently, we'll get to the point where eventually that isn't the case.

 

[SckizoBoy]

Also, it seems 90% of the people I have met in my life have been murderous bastards. See, I'm not wanted here. I'm not meant to be alive, I'm an evolutionary dead end. I'm faulty, and they hate me because of it, want me dead. That's how evolution works, right? The faulty elements must die before they breed, otherwise it brings in another generation of faulty beings. Such trials in life have made me very resilient, but it's me against most of the people i will ever meet. I don't expect to die a natural death, so I do all I can to improve things for other people like me while I'm still here. It isn't a nice way to live, but I suppose in a way I deserve it.

This evolutionary system is terrifyingly effective, but certainly not nice. Not ethical, not morally right. So why? Why do people have such faith in a species that is as successful as it is because it is cruel?

That's not 'evolution' that's society demand/pressure. You, good doc, need to rail at human society, not humanity. The behaviour of the individual is generally completely different from that of the population.

Anyway, the main critique you have is about war. I'll probably get a load of flak for this, but war has generally been good for mankind, both in our development (both as a society and technologically) and perpetuation. Unlike most species that have a form of exponential expansion when grown in a controlled environment, humans multiply much, much faster by comparison (relative generational length considered). The Earth can probably sustain roughly (actually I don't know, but around the region of) tens of billions (perhaps as high as a hundred billion, don't call me out on that, I really don't know). However, once that peak is attained, it will be there for a long time while the Earth's resources gradually fail to be renewed (for whatever reason). But as for the population itself, it really will be survival of the fittest since the demand of resources will outweigh the supply and the human race will genuinely turn (as a society) into a callous and uncaring one, where we delight in the death of the weak because it is necessary.

Left unchecked, any population with be the death of themselves, it's just a matter of time. If by some miracle the human race develops a form of population control that can be effectively enforced (of course, below the carrying capacity), then we'll happily exist in perpetuity. But I don't think that'll happen.

PS I am not a population biologist or statistical ecologist. If you are, feel free to correct me.

PPS If you hadn't noticed by now, most of what spews forth from me is unadulterated BS.

 

[zehydra]

"Also, it seems 90% of the people I have met in my life have been murderous bastards. See, I'm not wanted here. I'm not meant to be alive, I'm an evolutionary dead end. I'm faulty, and they hate me because of it, want me dead. That's how evolution works, right? The faulty elements must die before they breed, otherwise it brings in another generation of faulty beings. Such trials in life have made me very resilient, but it's me against most of the people i will ever meet. I don't expect to die a natural death, so I do all I can to improve things for other people like me while I'm still here. It isn't a nice way to live, but I suppose in a way I deserve it."

meet more people. I can personally say that A LOT of people aren't like that.

 

[DarkRyter]

Because we're smartest, kindest, and most peaceful sentient species I or anyone else has ever met.

 

[BiscuitTrouser]

Because in small communities like neighbourhoods, cul-de-sacs or apartment buildings, people know eachother and need to pretend to be "nice" and "wholesome".

Or they actually are? God this thread is so angsty. I hate this kinda thing. And i hate the super cool internet cynics that spring from the woodwork every time this stuff gets mentioned? God people. I actually like the people i know, im becoming a doctor to help people. You are allowed to not like children and i dont believe you when you make such silly exhaggeration as to peoples reaction. No one does this. Not liking children is a perfectly acceptable and common opinion.

And you people. The "No ones really nice or cares about people". Just eugh. Dont presume to know everyone. Especially me.

Also, it seems 90% of the people I have met in my life have been murderous bastards. See, I'm not wanted here. I'm not meant to be alive, I'm an evolutionary dead end. I'm faulty, and they hate me because of it, want me dead. That's how evolution works, right? The faulty elements must die before they breed, otherwise it brings in another generation of faulty beings. Such trials in life have made me very resilient, but it's me against most of the people i will ever meet. I don't expect to die a natural death, so I do all I can to improve things for other people like me while I'm still here. It isn't a nice way to live, but I suppose in a way I deserve it.

I have no idea what the fuck this means. Are people where you live actively hunting you with shotguns? I think this is insane hyperbole. We don't evolve anymore on a physical level, not with intelligence like ours to out do our physical imperfections. We now advance with our minds. This whole bit is moot. And really weird sounding. It sounds SO melodramatic. Unless its a fight to the death EVERY DAMN DAY get the hell over yourself. You don't deserve it. There isn't even an it. You sound ridiculous. I cant take anything you say seriously because this paragraph makes no sense at all. If this is some sort of "im a geek so everyone hates me" thing i think you are blowing it way out of proportion. I dont know why people so far have humored this odd bit here...

If where you grew up is rough thats fair dos. People can be assholes when they are desperate and forced to live in a really unsatisfactory way, taking it out on others. But cmon, these whiney emo threads are always wrong. Always. We do plenty of good shiz. Volunteer work, charities, adoption, organ donation, giving blood for free. I do 4 of these things (i dont adopt lol) isnt the fact that a randomer like me is willing to do these things proof people are inherently good?

Eugh emo ansty apathetic emo angst

This torrent of evil is complete bull crap. Youve named some tragedies sure. But look at the outcry, people all over the world genuinely care. I care. Id do anything for my fellow man. Read above. I want to be a doctor. I exist. And many surpass my efforts to do good. I cannot accept you are right. You wallow in self pity while people work tirelessly to make this "shitty evil world" better like loads of others. Whos very existance makes it a nice world to live in. Theres so much good. But selective "cherry picking" chooses to ignore it. You named 2 bad things. A billion acts of kindness happened today. As did bad things. But loads of good stuff happened. Someone took pity on the poor. Someone was declared cured of cancer. I reject your doom and gloom. It is better.

 

[zehydra]

because life feeds on life, and the crueler species will prevail. it's the nature of the beast(life). people put faith in themselves and have hope because there's no other option. without hope or faith that there's some good reason for it all, then we would do the sensible thing and destroy the world to end the suffering, not just for us, but for everything that lives here.
but guess what happens to the sensible guy who wants to do that? obviously, he gets eaten. majority rules. follow the crowd or die. so the clueless cruel live blissfuly ignorant happy lives, and the folks who think too much about the true nature of things, suffer or die. and this is the way the world perpetuates ad infinitum.

Untrue. Destroying the world runs counter to everything ANYONE could possibly hold dear. You can win against the cruel. It happens all the time.

 

[Innegativeion]

No, that's not how evolution works.

The species most suited to survive its environment outshines the others. We're the most intelligent of earth, therefor we can survive through technology and community in any location.

In fact, if humans were as cruel and selfish as you think, natural selection would not have allowed us to conquere the world.

Think about it, every great human accomplishment is a result of cooperation. The hunting party during the ice age over powered mammoths through numbers. If every time a mammoth was taken down one hunter killed his friends for food, there wouldn't be enough humans to survive the ice age.

The fact that we still exist is a testament to human compassion.

 

[Mordwyl]

If humanity was so evil, why are there so many of us on the planet instead of, I don't know, numbering in the thousands?

 

[Navvan]

Before i get started, i just want to say that I don't want this to come across as an emo thread, although I'm not feeling great at the moment, I largely just feel curious as to this:

Why do so many people have such faith in the "good" in humanity?

See, I've studied history alot. I've found that we seem to spend 90% of our time on pointless warfare. Even all those great steps we made; mostly made in the name of war, or in the course of war.

Also, it seems 90% of the people I have met in my life have been murderous bastards. See, I'm not wanted here. I'm not meant to be alive, I'm an evolutionary dead end. I'm faulty, and they hate me because of it, want me dead. That's how evolution works, right? The faulty elements must die before they breed, otherwise it brings in another generation of faulty beings. Such trials in life have made me very resilient, but it's me against most of the people i will ever meet. I don't expect to die a natural death, so I do all I can to improve things for other people like me while I'm still here. It isn't a nice way to live, but I suppose in a way I deserve it.

This evolutionary system is terrifyingly effective, but certainly not nice. Not ethical, not morally right. So why? Why do people have such faith in a species that is as successful as it is because it is cruel?

Well that description of evolution is incorrect but I believe that is besides the point.

Humans are a very social creature (we rely upon other members of our species to survive and thrive). This results in a seemingly altruistic behavior within members of our species because it also increases their individual success in reproduction. Now that is not to say absolute altruistic behavior is beneficial or there isn't any reproductive benefit to "selfish" behavior. That is why we don't live in a completely altruistic society. That said human society has come to breed a certain amount of altruism in its population and many raise their offspring holding it as an ideal behavior. So while you can't necessarily expect altruism from individual humans you can expect altruistic behavior from some humans. The level of altruism varies from region to region usually in response to whether or not the needs of individuals (food, shelter, safety, ect...) in that area being met.

From your description you are currently living in an area where the needs of individuals in the area are not being met. Either way, the point is humanity is a mix of many drives and behaviors that vary tremendously across populations. You can't expect complete anything from them but you can expect a bit of everything. You can have faith in the "good" of humanity because the individuals of humanity have a direct benefit (both reproductive and otherwise) in members of it being good.

 

[Zykon TheLich]

Well, to be ho

 

[Goatmeat]

See, I've studied history alot. I've found that we seem to spend 90% of our time on pointless warfare. Even all those great steps we made; mostly made in the name of war, or in the course of war.

History books tend to focus on war a lot because it's one of the things that leads to things changing. History books could go into people from ye olden times falling in love and having families, but it's a generally irrelevant thing to bring up in a history book, especially one about war. If you go a good deal further back in history, humans were dumber, and the more primitive an animal is, the more likely it is to respond to conflict by trying to kill the source of the conflict.

The idea that 90% of all human history and scientific endeavour is focused on warfare is silly. Yeah, there's usually a war going on at some place in the world, but it doesn't involve everyone, and for those that it does involve it's not as though war is the only focus in their life.

I think that people on a one-to-one basis are generally decent. The biggest problem humans have caused is overpopulation, which is damaging to just about everything in the world, but it'd be silly to suggest that people who're having kids are doing it out of malice.

 

[Nimcha]

Oh dear. You have absolutely no clue as to what evolution and in specific natural selection is. This sort of thinking is very dangerous, assigning your own values and morals to things that do not have them.

I just understand the basic principle, anything else aside from the functional ones must not breed

You see, you couldn't be more wrong. There is no basic principle, evolution is a scientific theory explaining the existence of biodiversity on earth using mechanisms like natural selection. It is not a moral compass. It does not say what must or must not happen.

Please, I encourage you to read up on this stuff, it is seemingly very important to your view of humanity.

 

[PixelKing]

Because everything is fucked.
Thats my view on life.

 

[FrostyChick]

Why do I have faith in humanity? Because the little part of it that concerns me is pretty damn good. For those unlucky enough to be in one of the not so nice bits. Allow me to present...

Spoiler

TLR Not all of humanity is bad.

 

[Sizzle Montyjing]

Because sometimes humanity is worth putting your faith in?
Humans aren't the physical manifestation of all that is evil in the world, we can do good you know.

We are nice people occasionally!
We're not all pricks!

 

[BiscuitTrouser]

What you beleive is not my concern or problem, I like speaking facts. Because while ignorance is full of rainbows and leprechauns, reality has the upper hand.
People do right, people do wrong. But the TV incessantly feeds you flawless stories where the guy is either picture perfect or has this really small character fault and ends up doing 100 grade-A goodness till the end of the movie.

Endless love, friendship out the arse , being honest. I do beleive in friendship and honesty but this "love" business is funny. Give a person what he or she wants, he'll stick around. The first sign of a minor problem and they will happily throw you to the sharks. Your rant explained in short; my point is people are selfish bastards that, when given a chance with the smallest repercussion possible, would mostly behave as such. Especially if they could get away with it.

I detect major cherry picking of only bad things. Ive stuck through hard things for the people i love. Ive done hard hard things. Things that scarred me for life. Things i had to do to protect people i care about. Reality is never black or white. Reality is mixed. Good happens. Bad happens. Only focusing on the bad means less good happens as a result of wallowing and self pity. Focusing on the good inspires others. People are not inherently selfish. Perhaps its only me willing to stick out for others. But i highly doubt it. You have obviously never been in real love. I feel kinda sorry for you. Some people are like that. It is presumptuous to say most. Id say at most 50% of people are like that. And mostly due to desperation.

What TV are you watching? Its endless doom and gloom. You have to look hard to find good. But its there. And its fantastical. At least contribute to it. You are a tiny part of humanity. If everyone went "Why not make it better" it would be. Are you making it better? Instead of applying for uni next year im going to japan to help with the tsunami clear up. People are better than me by miles. They do better things. Im pretty insignificant in good deeds. But they happen. Every day. All the time.

Because everything is fucked.
Thats my view on life.

We put a fucking man on the moon and everything sucks?

We looked at that gorram shiney white mother fucker and we went "LETS GET A GUY ON THERE". And why? WHY? BECAUSE IT SHOULDNT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE. It was HARD. And thats why we did it. Thats why we went there. Because it didnt want us to. We conquered that mofo because we looked to the stars and set out mind on making them ours. We do things because they are hard. And we try and try and try and sometimes the worse parts of us show. And thats ok. Because "humanity" and being "human" is about the duality of good and bad. Of being perfect and evil. Theres a lot of both. But everyone wants the good. And i think its winning out.

 

[Nimcha]

Hahaha, Humanity is a word that, with every passing day, applies less and less to our species.
Look at the Holocaust, 9/11 and now the Oslo tragedy.

What part of mass genocide, ruthless murder of innocents and the near constant oppression and greed of Governments breathes life into ANY positive facet of our kind.

Yes, we have the innocence of children and the heroism of the brave but those things are easily swept aside by the torrent of evil. Besides the innocent children of today are simply the corrupted adults of tomorrow and despite the our best efforts even our greatest heroes eventually become the punchline of some disgusting joke.

And before anyone comes charging in to counter my apathetic outlook ask yourself this 1st.

How many jokes have you heard (not told but heard said or read somewhere) about the Holocaust?

How many times have you seen a reference to Pedobear which, lets face it, is just an avatar of the molestation of children which seems to gain HUGE support from the internets users.

How many different situations have you or someone you know been in where you said "Yeah and the guy I met at / on X game started being really racist / nasty (delete as appropriate) for no reason"

Those are just basic localized instances of the corruption that IS our species and I can assure you if anyone brings up love as a counter point expect me to bombard them in a follow up post with 101 stories I will track down online of cheating lovers and betrayals.

So, you are of the opinion humanity in itself is evil? Bad? Wrong?

 

[Indeterminacy]

So why? Why do people have such faith in a species that is as successful as it is because it is cruel?

Broadly speaking, faith is a choice. You buy into a groundless belief because the consequences of doing so are worth your while.

Humanism is the same; believing that humanity is worth working to improve facilitates motivation and progress. Otherwise, as Schopenhauer put it, the only real philosophical problem is suicide.

 

[Radoh]

Because people are awesome.